We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kathleen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kathleen below.

Kathleen, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

I am, but I would be lying if I said I’d never considered what it could be like to throw in the towel and get a “regular” job. I’d say I’ve had this thought often throughout my time in business, and not always because it’s a difficult season. Sometimes it’s simply about being curious about what life would look like. However, there was a time that I came close.

I was on “maternity leave” and hired a gal to clean in my absence. I was still responsible for booking the schedule full and all of the other daily responsibilities managing a business. We were in a big period of growth and there was a lot on my plate. I was loving being able to have so much work to do from home and still care for my newborn. I felt very productive and was taking really good care of our cleaner; often buying lunches and coffee “just because”, helping her structure her finances, etc. I really went above and beyond to try and make her feel like she was part of something bigger than just being our cleaner. I remember her telling me multiple times how she felt I’d saved her life; Considering my heart from the beginning had been to help life other women up, this was all the motivation I needed to dedicate everything I could to make A Clean Sweep an ideal workplace.

As the months progressed, I slowly started discovering the many ways I was being deceived, clients being taken advantage of, and even theft of property to name a few. I can still get chills thinking about the level of stress and anxiety I was under during what was supposed to be a blissful time in my personal life. I can hardly remember those precious moments with my daughter as I was so wrapped up in the chaos this one individual was creating in both my business and life. It was a solid 6 months I will forever wish I could go back and change.

After letting her go 8 months later, quitting A Clean Sweep was seriously on the table. Luckily, I had support from my partner and one of my fellow business owner friends/mentors who so graciously carried me through the experience. Looking back, I learned so much about my business, my leadership and boundaries, and what I am truly capable of as an owner.

As we near our 8th year in business, though the thought still occasionally drifts into view, it leaves as quickly as it comes. I’m so grateful I didn’t give up on my business. I Love what I do and what we are all about here, and I wouldn’t dream of going back.

Kathleen, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m simply a girl who didn’t give up. I had every card imaginable stacked against me before A Clean Sweep was born: a single mom, isolated in a state where we had nothing but my corporate job. We had no family, no support, and definitely no backup plan. It was probably the most terrifying time in my life. When I lost my job, I knew we would lose everything if I didn’t get scrappy. I started cleaning a few houses I’d found on the Marketplace while trying to find my place in the corporate landscape. Interview after interview and I was either not the right fit for them or it wasn’t going to work for us. Between the houses, dog walking, and serving full time, I was thankfully making enough to keep our ends met.

I started making products to clean with because one of my clients at the time was extremely picky about chemicals. After much trial and error, I’d come up with a few tried-and-true formulas that worked and the client was happy about. It was because of her that I really started paying more attention to labels, and I was shocked when I discovered even the “cleanest” brands were filled with trash ingredients. I had a real issue with the green-washing and the idea that people who truly cared about chemical-free living were being lied to. So, I made it my mission to figure out a way to make them more accessible.

It took me a few years to really lock all the logistics in, but once I was finally settled on a final product, I started sharing more on Instagram. What started with a few clients placing orders between cleanings has evolved into orders and subscriptions being sold across the country.

Today, A Clean Sweep is a product and services based business, something I never could have imagined when I first started cleaning. We solve the problem of overwhelm people feel when knowing what to clean with. I firmly believe in simplicity being key and that cleaning is far more than a chore – it is a timeless ritual that deserves to be honored as such. Our essential oils aren’t only chosen for their effectiveness; Each oil was chosen for their aromatic and healing properties. Our simple line up takes the confusion out of the process, and honors the work women have done for centuries.

I love that my small business has made such a meaningful impact on others – through our genuine care shown to our clients and their spaces and the products we carefully craft.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Because I have a corporate background, I have a well rounded understanding of how to effectively work and communicate with our clients. I keep a tight ship so to speak, my schedule rarely changes and I am always where and when I say I’ll be. I always show up to work with a positive and friendly demeanor, never bringing personal matters into the homes I clean or even to our Social Media platforms. Our clients highly value these qualities I bring to the industry and I have a very low turnover rate because of it. I am very fortunate to admit I don’t have to seek out new clients as word-of-mouth has kept me well stocked with work.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I created our VIP program several years ago, which has been vital to being able to foster brand loyalty as we’ve grown. I hand-write all birthday, holiday, and thank you cards, put on our annual Easter Egg hunt, and find small but meaningful ways to give back to our clients throughout the year. I’ve learned that people love to be acknowledged beyond receiving emailed invoices, and I think it’s in part why I’ve maintained a solid list of clients for so many years.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.acleansweepmn.com and www.acleansweepmn.shop
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acleansweepmn
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acleansweepmn